New card readers installed at University of Missouri dining halls are said to make checking student meal plan balances easier for students and staff, according to the student newspaper.

With the new system students simply swipe their card to receive their balance, which means students don’t have to rely on a staff member to receive their balance. .

Before, students were calling the campus dining services office, which students say is inconvenient because it is only open during certain hours. “The offices were receiving so many phone calls that it had to bring in more people just to answer the phones,” campus dining services spokesman Andrew Lough said.

Lough also said that future plans include an online ID card system, which will enable students to login to a Web site for balance inquiry and to update their meal plans.